Studies show that very few people ever slow down enough to truly enjoy life until they develop a health problem that requires them to do so. For reference, many of the health problems that can elicit such a response are linked to exhaustion. To understand how much of a toll being exhausted can take on an individual from even just a psychological standpoint, we need only look at a survey published by Harris Insights and Analytics, a market research and analytics firm founded in 1963. The survey revealed that 45 percent of respondents working in an office environment would willingly take a 10 percent pay cut if it meant they could enjoy feeling less stressed in their job role.

 This collective sentiment is not too surprising in light of how stress impacts the central nervous system and endocrine system. For example, it is not uncommon for either of these two to become the impetus for feelings of anxiety or depression when they stop functioning correctly. And in those who do not develop a mental health disorder, problems with the central nervous system or endocrine system will sometimes open the door to physical health problems, such as hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.

How Does Stress Affect the Body, Mind, and Nervous System: The Consequences of Not Unplugging

Although work-related stress is the most common, many other things can be a source of stress. And irrespective of the cause, too much of it can adversely affect the body, mind, and nervous system. By the way, along with problems in the workplace, the following are known stressors for many people in the U.S. and around the world:

• The death of a family member or friend
• Getting divorced
• Becoming or being unemployed
• Financial strain
• Moving to a new home
• Chronic illness
• Suffering an injury
• Developing a mental illness
• Caring for a sick family member
• Experiencing certain traumatic events

Now that we are a little more up to speed with what causes stress, let's turn our attention to what it can do to the mind and body:

Physical Health Problems

While the psychological toll is usually the first thing that comes to mind whenever most think about struggling with chronic stress, we should keep in mind that there is also sometimes a physical component. For those not aware, the central nervous system (CNS) triggers what is known as the 'fight or flight' response whenever we feel stressed. This response is responsible for the onslaught of physical symptoms that many individuals experience when life doles out more challenges than they can comfortably handle.

At the first sign of stress, the CNS prompts the body's endocrine system to secrete an above-average supply of stress hormones, which is in the form of adrenaline and cortisol. When this happens, it is not uncommon for most people to experience an increased heart rate, muscle tightening, and rapid breathing, all of which are part and parcel of the fight or flight response. The longer an individual continues to feel stressed, the longer these physiological responses will continue. Over time, the same increased heart rate, muscle tightening, and rapid breathing can culminate in the following:

• Neck, shoulder, and back pain
• Insomnia, hypersomnia, or both
• Autoimmune diseases
• Digestive problems
• Skin problems
• Cardiovascular disease
• Infertility and other reproductive issues

Mental Health and Emotional Problems

In the same way that CNS plays a role in contributing to a myriad of physical health problems when individuals remain highly stressed for too long, it can also be the impetus for several mental health problems. Some of the more notable ones include the following:

• Depression and anxiety
• Feeling agitated
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Feelings of isolation
• Moodiness
• Irritability
• Nervousness

Understanding How Hormones and the Entire Endocrine System Responds to a Lack of Rest and Relaxation

While the central nervous system is primarily responsible for triggering the physical, psychological, and even emotional symptoms associated with being highly stressed, they are, in many cases, precipitated by a hormonal imbalance of some kind. And this is especially the case when it comes to low human growth hormones (HGH) in one's bloodstream. For example, along with numerous other symptoms, many men and women with low HGH levels also struggle with heightened cortisol levels, which can profoundly impact the central nervous system and the rest of the body. Some of the symptoms typical of high cortisol and low HGH levels include headaches and low energy. Because high cortisol levels can reduce serotonin production in the brain, it can also give way to feelings of depression.

How to Relax and Reduce the Stress in Your Life

If you're suffering from chronic stress because of problems at work or home, there are many ways to unplug and regain control over your life. Some of the more notable ones include the following:

• Meditating
• Exercising
• Traveling
• Emotion management

How Getting Enough Sleep Can Boost Low Hgh Levels and Improve Overall Health

While we can't always avoid stress, we can keep the physiological and psychological responses associated with it from spiraling too far out of control. And maintaining healthy human growth hormone levels can help in this regard. For reference, normal HGH levels are 0.4 to 10 and 1.0 to 14 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) in men and women, respectively. Getting a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, as recommended by the National Sleep Foundation, can go a long way toward helping most men and women achieve these numbers. And this is further backed by a separate study published by the National Institutes of Health, which found that close to 50 percent of human growth hormone secretion occurs during the third and fourth stages of REM sleep.

Medication to Help Ease the Physiological and Psychological Response to Stress: When Hrt Might Be Worth Considering

For some people, getting enough sleep, exercising, meditating, and the like does not provide meaningful relief from the physiological or psychological response to the stress in their lives. By the way, this is often the case when low HGH levels and an inability to unplug from daily life are part of the equation. And this is when undergoing a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimen might be worth considering.

In short, HRT is a go-to treatment offered by many endocrinologists, and it entails using prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to boost low growth hormone (GH) levels and reduce high cortisol levels. This combination can make it a lot easier to cope with the stress in one's life. HRT can also resolve many of the symptoms associated with having low GH levels, such as low bone density, low libido, and much more. Some of the FDA-approved drugs are administered via injection and priced anywhere from $500 to $7,500 for a 30-day supply, more detailed about HGH injection cost. They are part of an HGH-based HRT regimen include the following:

• Sogroya
• Genotropin
• Humatrope
• Saizen
• Norditropin
• Nutropin and Nutropin AQ

Bottom Line

In summary, the stress in our lives, not to mention our physiological and psychological response to it, can affect us in more ways than one. Fortunately, there is no shortage of all-natural and medical treatments that keep things from spiraling too far out of control. That said, if stress is wreaking havoc on your life, you're encouraged to unplug from life's daily grind and spend more time focusing on your health. And the sooner you can start doing so, the better off you will be both in the short and long-term.